Rear-axle clutch-gear for motor-vehicles



l. STEPHENS AND F. W. EVANS. Y REAR AxLE CLUTCH GEAR Foa MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I3. 1918.

Patented Feb. 15,1921.

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. l

REAR-AXLE CLUTCH-GEAR FOR HECTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Lettersgatent.

raieiirea ree. is, ieai.

Application filed September 13, 1918. Serial ITO. 253,968.

To aZZuLom t may concern:

siding at Ida-H, near Laverton, Western Australia, Commonwealth of Australia,

have invented certain new and useful mproveniente in Rear-Axle Clutch-Gears for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is 'a specification. Y Y

rhis inventicnielates to the driving clutch gear of the rear axles of motor vehicles and its object is to dispense with the use of the present differential gear and to substitute therefor a driving gear of a simple and direct driving nature and construction. rlhe invention is primarily designed for motor tractors and such like slow Inov- Aing vehicles but it is adapted for use with all types of motor vehicles.

The invention consists of the rear axle being rnade in two separate and independent halves each part being adapted to operate eitherin unison' with or independent of each other; said axle being divided at a centrally transverse position and on the companion central terminals is conjointly and looselyT carried a single rotatable gearwheelV which is in operative connection with the power transmission shaft of the engine by worin oi' ether suitable gearing. junction with said Gear wheel we employ a pairrof companion'frictio'i'i" grip clutches adapted to operatively engage and be re-V leased with each side of the said gear wheel. Each of said clutches is traversably held on its own axle'by feather keys and operated andY controlled either by independent or simultaneous levers; that is either or both clutches may be released or engaged by the same operation.

T he construction and use of the invention V will now be explained with the aid of the ln con- Y is made in two separate and independent halves as a and Zi-eacli half part carrying its road wheel as al and b1 shown in broken lines. These axles a and b are suitably held in bearings a2 and b2 Secured to the chassisV or body frame c of the vehicle, said bearings having ball races c1 to receive the working thrust. At a central and junctional position the axle terminals d and Z1 are made of reduced diameter' in order to provide guides for the thereon loosely andconjointly carried rotatable gear wheel m. This wheel is adapted toV intergear with the power transmission gear connected with the engine in the ordinary manner. This wheel is provided with the ball races :v2 which receivethe end working thrust Vof the axles aand Z2. 0n the portions @and el of said axles and transversely held thereon by feather keys are the slidable friction grip clutches f and 71'1. These clutches are adapted to engage with and bereleased from the i said gear wheel a; and are provided with the spiral springs f2-f3 operating between Vthe bearings @2h62 in order to urge said clutches to their engaged positions in contact against the side faces of said wheel ai when released by the manually operated levers hereafter mentioned.

lt is obvious that this gear wheel m transmits motion and driving power to that axle or axles whose clutch or clutches are in the .engagedA position or positions in respect of the said wheel and which later acts as the comnion driving agent for either or both of said axles a and These clutches are adapted to be controlled either by independent or simultaneous levers. VThe independent control means comprise a horizontal arm g having a forked terminal g1 engaging with the grooves g2 Aformed in the hubs g3 of Ythe clutches and to said arms gV are connected the rectangular terminals LV of a plate Irl slidably mounted on the base plate 7c3. This plate 721 is pivcted at k2 to a lever npivoted at nl to said base plate. Said lever n at its outer end'carries a Contact roller mrfor engaging with a spiral grooved wheel p which is vertically and transversably carried on the square portion p1 of the steering colunin 792. This wheel is held in its working position by the top and bottoni limit collars ivi-204.V This spiral grooved Wheel-is made with a retention gap or re-.

cess rto hold the lever n When the forward drive ot' the vehicle is desired.

- gap r and to admit of the 'forward drive po-V Thesteei'ing. column p2 is held in the usual `foot bearing and operates by the ordinary worm and sector gearing.

It is apparent thatby turning said column either to tlie right oi' to the lett7 the correspondinglyV relatedclutch will be either released or engaged while when the lever a lies in the central engaged i position by the retention fa i1 both clutches are engaged i l? C? with the wheel ai and positioned for the toi-Ward drive ofthe-vehicle.

VWhen the column p? is given several comvplete rotations the lever a is moved from its.

central position by the grooves and the corresl'iondingly related clutch maintained free from contact with the Wheel a: until the spiral grooved wheel-p resumes that position which allows the roller m to engage with the sition o'li'the lever a and the combined en-v gagement ot' the clutches against the wheel it',

as shown in Fig. -l-. Vl* or the simultane-V ous control of the clutches ive employ the pivotal lever arms y connectible at 3/1 to the outer endso'l the forked levers g1 aforesaid said arms y having rectangular toothed iormations y2 which intermesh with a pinion y carried on a vertical rotary shaft s adapted to be operated by hand Wheel in usual Way.

It is apparent that by turning said pinion iffeitlier to the right or to the lett the clutches will be simultaneously engaged or released.

What We claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- A l. ln a `motor vehicle, the combination with a steering column, of a pair of wheels, Y

actuating means, means for separately con- Vtrolling the connection of said wheels, re-

` spectively, with said actuating means, a lever e for operating said controllingr means, said lever havingcontact'means,and a member carried by said steering column, said membei' having a retention gap oi" noteli adapted to receive said Contact means when said steering column is in itsvnormal central positmii. Y

"2. In a motor vehicle", the combination with a steering column, of a pair oi' Wheels, actuating means,.means for separately, controlling the connectionof saidn'heels, respectively, with said'actuating'means,a lever i'or operating said controlling means, Ysaid lever having contact means, and a spiraliy grooved member carried by ,said steering column, said member liavinga retentionw gap or notch adapted to receive said contact` means Vivhen said steeringA columnV in its normal central position.

3, in a motor vehicle, theV combination `with a steering column, of a tivo part Vrear axle,- a transmission -member 'rotatably mounted on vtheadjacent ends of Vthe tivo sog,

parts of said axle, clutches'ior separately Y connecting said transmission member with.VV

said parts, respectivelyp,springs for Vnormally engaging said clutches, devices fior disengaging said clutches, a sliding plate cooperating with said devices andV movable in opposite directions toV cause the disengagement of .said Clutches, respectively, "a lever for operating said plate, and a Aspirally grooved Wheel carried by saidV steering columnV and having 'a Vretention gap, said- Witnesses: c J oHN ARTHUR RiCHAnnsoN,

Brien HANSEN. 

